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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692006">Sly Cooper V: Thick As Thieves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepy_Bed_Bunny/pseuds/Sleepy_Bed_Bunny'>Sleepy_Bed_Bunny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sly Cooper (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:36:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,397</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepy_Bed_Bunny/pseuds/Sleepy_Bed_Bunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of my previous fic, enjoy as the Cooper Gang find signs of Sly in Ancient Egypt, and find out that not only are they dealing with problems from the past - There's trouble in the present. Read to find out the spine tingling sequel to Sly 4: Thieves In Time!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sly Cooper/Carmelita Fox</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I'm not really used to doing this sort of thing, but here goes.</p><p>My name is Bentley, Bentley Turtle. You might know me as 'The Brains' of the Cooper Gang, at least, if you knew who the Cooper Gang was. Recently, we retired to live our lives, see what the future held for us. Sly retired to be a lawman with Carmelita, I got absorbed in my work with science, and Murray became a notorious demolition derby champion. But that all changed when Le Paradox showed up, that no good, rotten smelling...<strong><em>Jerk! </em></strong>If I could get my hands on him right now I'd...No, I'd rather not.</p><p>Carmelita went on a crime busting spree not too long after Le Paradox was arrested, though sometimes I see her around France. Sometimes at a café, or sometimes doing her own investigation into Sly's disappearance. She'd been given quite the blank check ever since her record conviction rate, grabbing some of the latest gadgets, gear, and even a new, Interpol-Issued Patrol Bike. I got to see it first hand one night, as she tore down the road during a police chase. That bike was <em>incredible,</em> almost like something out of a secret agent's dream. Sleek, aerodynamic design, side-mounted shock cannons, rocket boosters...The whole package! Perfect for someone of her caliber.</p><p>Murray is currently reigning heavyweight champion, having an unbroken twenty-two win streak, and currently preparing for the 'Bloody Knuckles Free-For-All' in the United States. I saw a few of his matches, even caught his first match up against known champion Felix Flannigan. An impressive bout it was, and I'm certain I saw the Guru watching from the sidelines. Besides wrestling to keep his physical skills in shape, Murray moonlighted as a Demolition Derby Driver.</p><p>He's infamous on the circuit for being impossible to wreck, pulling out whatever works in order to be the last one standing. It's amazing to see him tear up the derby arena, spraying mud everywhere, making the Cooper Van famous for being indestructible on the circuit.</p><p><em>After </em>we removed the time machine, of course, I can't risk that being destroyed.</p><p>As my thoughts drift towards the Gang, I find myself thinking about our other members.</p><p>Dimitri runs a resort out in the Caribbean, called Disco Diver's Retreat, themed after his hit show. It's a big hit among the public, and for investors. I swung by once to say hi, ended up staying a week and not remembering a lick of it. Suffice to say, I will not be going back for more than a day, I don't want a repeat of what happened last time.</p><p>Panda King and I spent some time meditating in the mountains, having talked about our lives.</p><p>He offered his help should we find Sly, promising that 'his fires will illuminate the path to Cooper'. I promised that if we ever found out where Sly was, he'd be one of the first to know. Spending a week in the high mountains, seeing all the sights it held...It helped clear my mind, give me a fresh look at everything that had been going on these past few months.</p><p>The Guru was always on the move, never staying in one place with his new students.</p><p>Couldn't blame him, that band was pretty popular these days.</p><p>After that pep talk from Panda King and the week vacation in the Caribbean, I finally gained some ground in the search for Sly. A package from Penelope, and as much as I despised opening it, what was inside gave me almost everything I needed to get Sly back. Inside was a picture of the newly expanded Ancient Egypt Exhibit in the Museum of Cairo. The most prominent being a strange carving, and if I looked at it from the right angle, it looked like...</p><p>It couldn't be.</p><p>It shouldn't be.</p><p>But there it was, sitting under the museum light was a rock with Sly's calling card carved into it. I searched up every detail on that carving, from public museum records to the carbon dating tests done by the archeologists who found it. It was genuine product, called 'The Cooper Carving' by some. But as I got to making plans, something hit me. Why would Penelope send me this? Is she rubbing it in that I'll never find Sly, even with my Time Machine? Or is she giving me a false hope to find my best friend?</p><p>...It doesn't matter, I'm getting Sly back, no matter what.</p><p>
  <strong> <em> <span class="u">_________________________________________</span> </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Bentley,</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>And The Gang In...</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Thick As Thieves</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong> <em>________________________________________</em> </strong> </span>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Cairo, Egypt 8:54 PM</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Prologue</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>...</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong> <em>________________________________________</em> </strong> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>The city around the Museum of History was strangely silent, a few lights poking out of the darkness. A shape darted through the shadows, a strangely turtle shape that rolled almost silently on the black pavement. As the figure rolled into the pale light of a street lamp, it became clear as the light revealed a green turtle shining his glasses, wearing a pith helmet and bulletproof vest. He was currently resting in an impressively teched out wheelchair, custom made by his hand.</p><p>He was...<em><strong>Bentley, The Brains</strong></em><em>.</em></p><p>Once he was in the light of the street lamp, he made note of his surroundings before making his way to the Safe House nearby.</p><p>It was an old flower shop, with a faded blue sign saying 'Fistful Of Flowers'. The door was cracked, the windows were boarded up, but Bentley wouldn't have it any other way. Undoing the lock, he rolled himself in before taking a look inside. The entire shop was covered in a thin layer of dust, something his allergies were giving him grief. But Bentley ignored it, dusting off the nearest table and setting up his laptop. Powering it up, he began the simple process of calling his best friend and muscle of the Cooper Gang...</p><p><em>"Bentley! How are you buddy?" </em>Murray appeared on the screen in a flash, the pink hippo was wearing a thick winter coat and a large, pink scarf in addition to his old hat and goggles. A big, joyous smile was plastered on his face.</p><p>Nodding, Bentley began talking. "Doing fine...How are things stateside?" Murray picked up the camera to show off the area outside the airport terminal, a thick, almost blinding snowstorm was tearing through the area, grounding flights for the foreseeable future. That put a particularly large damper on his plan, as he needed Murray's muscle and the Cooper Van for his heist. </p><p><em>"I can't make it little buddy, flights are grounded for a few hours." </em>Murray's smile faltered a bit, but he continued with renewed vigor. </p><p><em>"Now before you say something like 'oh well, this plan's scrap', I want you to think." </em>Murray's eyes gained a familiar fire, and the herculean hippo continued with almost thunderous strength. <em>"This is the first lead we've gotten about Sly in months, MONTHS, Bentley. And I know Penelope's little messages aren't the most trustworthy, but...At least try, try for Sly." </em></p><p>Feeling Murray's enthusiasm, Bentley felt a small smile growing on his face. "I'll try, just give me a few hours and I'll have a plan." With that out of the way, Bentley ended the call with Murray and began making his plans for tonight. Swiping off the nearest counter, the turtle set some of the museum's blueprints up for the heist. So many options, so many vulnerable points of entry. Even after the museum updated their security after the Clockwerk Heist, there were still many, <em>many</em> vulnerabilities within the system. Even a few physical vulnerabilities, like the southwestern wall had some structural issues. The most direct way would be through the sewers...Oh, now <em>that's </em>an idea.</p><p>It only took him an hour to set up his plan, and only a few minutes after, he was gone.</p><p>
  <strong> <em> <span class="u">_____________________________________</span> </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Cairo, Egyptian Museum Of History</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>12:01 AM</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em> <span class="u">_____________________________________</span> </em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>"Alright Bentley, you can do this." Wheeling his chair forward, the turtle checked his maps and the museum blueprints. "If my calculations are correct, the sewer entrance leading into the museum should be..." Moving a finger over the marked entrance, Bentley smiled as the manhole cover was right where it was on the map, and nobody would be around at this time of night.</p><p>A perfect entrance for a turtle like himself.</p><p>Using the arms on his chair to lift up the manhole, Bentley dropped down into the sewer with a small look of disgust. The sewers may have been the best way to get in alone, but the <em>stench </em>and the possibility of falling into sewer runoff was seriously making him reconsider the idea. Dropping in, his chair's arms slowed him down to a safe speed, allowing him to drop without much trouble. Unlike the Museum in France, this one didn't have lasers waiting to fry him. Landing with a slight thud, Bentley slowly moved his way through the sewers, looking for the service entrance under the museum. It shouldn't be too far, just a few minutes travel if these blueprints were up to snuff.</p><p>That was when he came across his first obstacle, a large, rusted security gate. "Oh come on, <em>that's </em>got to be the worst security gate I've seen, and I've seen some shoddy security gates." Preparing a trigger bomb, he used his chair's arms to plant the bomb at a safe distance before detonating it. The security gate was destroyed, an almost perfect hole appearing in the middle of it.</p><p>"And like that, problem solved." </p><p>Rolling through, he found that security was...Lax, it was <em>never </em>this lax. Sure there were cameras that kept him on his metaphorical toes, but Bentley felt as if something was wrong, like an itch under his shell. </p><p>"No, don't think like that Bentley, you're just a bit nervous." The turtle muttered to himself, dodging another camera's yellow light. "Okay, almost to the service entrance is just a few minutes away." Wheeling closer and closer through the dirty, dank sewer, he found himself staring down an Iron-Lock 4000 door. A heavy, steel colored security door with an electronic lock. Bentley grinned as he looked for the nearest security console, humming the theme of an old spy movie as he began the simple process of cracking that simple lock. </p><p>And within a few minutes, he was in. "Like a battering ram through the gates of a castle - I have defeated ye!" Posing like 'The Murray', Bentley let out a quick chuckle to himself before wheeling off to the museum above. Armed with his sharp wit and technology, the brains of the Cooper Gang was prepared to fight off any guards who got in his way...</p><p>...Which was few and far in between.</p><p>Most of the guards were gone, with only a skeleton crew patrolling. Bentley didn't even have to sleep dart some of them, all he had to do was keep quiet and hide behind some of the exhibits. With that said, he still didn't want to be on the opposite end of their shock pistols. After a few close calls and a few moments of panic, Bentley was at the Ancient Egypt Wing. The entrance was marked by a large, red curtain that blocked it from view, with a sign hanging on it saying <strong>'CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS'</strong>. Slipping through the curtain, Bentley looked high and low for the Cooper Carving. It had to be here somewhere, <em>it had to be. </em>He didn't want to have broken into the Museum of Cairo for nothing!</p><p>"Freeze!" Hearing a familiar voice shout out, Bentley whirled his chair around to find Carmelita staring him down. Despite the bright, blinding light from her Shock Pistol's flashlight obscuring his vision, he could make out some of her features. The Inspector was wearing an Interpol Issued Police Jacket, similar to the one she wore during the Clockwerk Incident. In fact, she looked a lot like her old self again, that criminal hunting, no nonsense fox that could stare holes in steel. </p><p>It took her a few moments to recognize Bentley, but once she did, she lowered her Shock Pistol and reached for her walkie talkie. "False Alarm, just a rat." With that done, she shut it off and kept her Shock Pistol pointed at the ground. "Now, you owe me an explanation Bentley...And you've got ten minutes to explain." Taking a moment to compose himself, Bentley began to explain himself.</p><p>
  <em> <span class="u"> <strong>_____________________________________</strong> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>_____________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>With Carmelita having found me out, I figured it was better to beg forgiveness than to lie straight to her face. She was an Inspector for Interpol! How was I going to lie to her? There was also the issue of the...Um, <em>Shock Pistol </em>that was a few swipes away from shocking me. I told Carmelita why I was here, I was here for the Cooper Carving. The Inspector's walkie talkie buzzed and for a moment, I thought she'd rat me out to the guards for breaking and entering. Yet to my surprise, she merely said that it was just a rat, leaving me pondering as to what she had planned. </p><p>That was when Carmelita told me that the Carving wasn't here.</p><p>She had it locked up in her office for 'safe keeping', or at least that's what she told her superiors. Inspector Fox seemed to know that either Murray or myself would be after this carving, and that she was planning to call me after her shift was over. With that out of the way, we went our separate ways until Inspector Fox could safely recover the carving from her office. We were one step closer to finding Sly, but first...We all needed to be in ship shape before even thinking of going after Sly. We don't want to be caught off guard, not with our best friend on the line.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue - Ship Shape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Safe House looked marginally better once Bentley spent some time cleaning it, wiping away the years of dust and throwing out a few old pizza boxes left from their last time here. It wasn't the cleanest place for a safe house, but it was perfect for hiding out. Most people in this part of Cairo ignored the old building, and any possible break-ins would be solved by his ingenious security system. Bentley mused on how he'd explain his (rather risky) plan to save Sly to Carmelita, but it was a risk he was willing to take.</p><p>Not even a minute after he thought of it, a knock came at the door.</p><p>Wheeling over to the door, Bentley yawned and opened the door to find not only Inspector Fox - But Murray as well. The pink hippo held a large suit case in one arm and a 'heavyweight champion' belt draped over the other, a grin plastered on his face as he dropped both to hug Bentley.</p><p>"Little Buddy!" After a few minutes of greetings and creaking turtle ribs, the terrapin techno-tycoon led his comrades into the Safe House. It was old, creaky, and still a bit dusty, but it would serve its purpose as a base of operations. The living room was - for the most part - clean of any dust and debris from their last adventure in Egypt, and it was converted into a makeshift planning area, complete with a table, a BentleyTech projector, and complimentary pizza.</p><p>"Alright, now that we're settled in...Inspector Fox, the carving...Uh, please?" Awkwardly holding out his hand, Bentley thanked Carmelita for the stone as he set it onto the table and began to explain his plan...</p><p>
  <em> <span class="u"> <strong>____________________________________</strong> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>BentleyTech</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>____________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>Okay, as far as we know this is the only sign of Sly in the past few months. Thanks to Inspector Fox keeping it safe for us, we can move onto our operation - Rescuing Sly from whenever, and wherever he's trapped. But first thing's first, we have to make sure that all of us - And I mean, <em>all </em>of us are in tip top shape for this mission. Alas, I couldn't contact the rest of the Cooper Gang for this mission. Dimitry is busy filming a reality show at his resort, Panda King is out of range, and the Guru is nowhere to be found as of yet.</p><p>As far as I know, we're all on our own here.</p><p>Firstly, we need to check our cards, so to speak. We need to know what everyone on this team can do before we make any moves, if we go off of this halfcocked, we might lose our one shot at finding Sly. I've done some practice for the heist in Egypt, but right now we need <em>all </em>of our skills honed to perfection. </p><p>Now I know the two of you have been keeping yourselves sharp for this day, but it doesn't hurt to at least make sure we're all on the same page.</p><p>Murray, I'm going to test your strength and physical skills to make sure you haven't lost your edge. As for you Inspector Fox, I've heard you've acquired quite a few upgrades thanks to Interpol's tech wizards. Let's see if they're up to the standards I've set before we do anything, Police Gadgetry has a tendency to be a bit buggy the first few months it's in the field.</p><p>Now that that's settled, let's get to the Hazard Room.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>______________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Hazard Room</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>______________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>Murray was glad to be back in the old Hazard Room, if these old brick walls could talk, the tales they could tell...</p><p>Shaking himself out of his nostalgia, the brawn of the Cooper Gang curled his hands into fists and cracked a wide smile. "Alright Bentley ol' buddy, what're we doing here? Pumping iron? Busting bricks? Nonono wait...<em>Caber toss!" </em></p><p>Bentley's voice crackled out from the hippo's binocucom, crackly but clear. <em>"Not today, as impressive as it is to see you bust cinderblocks, we're going to do some simple refreshers." </em>Three straw dummies dropped from the ceiling, wearing the uniform of Don Octavio's Mafia. The Murray cracked his knuckles as Bentley began explaining what his goal was. <em>"Alright, today we're checking if you're still in fighting shape - Hit these dummies with a one-two punch."</em></p><p>Punching the first dummy, it bounced back a few feet before the Hippo hit it with a sucker punch.</p><p>The dummy folded in half and crumpled to the ground, hitting it with a thud. </p><p>The next 'foe' to face Murray was hit with a similar one-two punch, outright falling apart under his blows. The third was very similar, with the upper half falling off, leaving the lower half still standing.</p><p>"Come on Bentley, I'm barely breaking a sweat here - Hit me with something tougher!" The dummies disappeared and three more took their place, two of them being small like the Rooftop Guards, while the third was big and burly like the Flashlight Guards. Murray had an inkling of an idea of what to do, but let Bentley speak his mind.</p><p>
  <em>"Well then, I take it you remember how to fight against Flashlight Guards?" </em>
</p><p>Letting out a hearty laugh, the Murray prepared himself for this matchup. "Heck yeah I do! Just knock a sucker in the air with an uppercut, then toss him at his buddies like a sack of potatoes!" Doing as he said, Murray knocked one of the lighter dummies in the air with an uppercut. While the dummy was in the air, Murray snatched it out of the air with impressive grace. "Fear the Murray!" With the heft and strength of a champion wrestler, he threw the dummy towards the larger 'flashlight guard'. The dummies collided with impressive force, the larger dummy hitting the ground with a thundering thud.</p><p>Knocking the other in the air, he finished off the larger dummy with another throw.</p><p>"Alright, now we're talking! Anything else?" The room was cleared and four more dummies appeared, along with a tower of boxes.</p><p>Murray's Binocucom buzzed again. <em>"Alright, do you remember the Thunderflop?"</em></p><p>"You seriously think I could've forgotten that? You're crazy little buddy." Sizing up the tower, the hippo found a way up in the form of a trampoline - A roughly held together trampoline, but one that'd serve its purpose. Jumping up, he landed on top of the wooden tower with a slight thud. </p><p>That was when he leapt from the tower, dropping like a meteor onto the four dummies. The earth shook, the dummies went flying in all directions - And Murray was out of it without a scratch. Dusting himself off, it appeared that was all for the training, but at least he managed to warm himself up for finding Sly...Wherever and whenever he was.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>Carmelita stepped into the Hazard Room, with Murray wishing her good luck. </p><p>The Hazard Room was made up of dark gray brick, and the wood floor was scuffed up and scratched by years of training. It oddly reminded her of Interpol's training room, only more...Homely and ramshackle. Sure it probably packed a lot more features than Interpol's training room, but at the same time Carmelita was worried the ceiling would come down on her in any minute...If she could see the ceiling.</p><p>
  <em>"Alright Inspector Fox, let's see what upgrades Interpol's techies have cooked up."</em>
</p><p>Twirling her Shock Pistol, it looked a lot more sleek and futuristic than older models. A squared body with red finish, gold-colored iron sights, and a launcher of some kind situated under the barrel. Interpol's emblem was emblazoned on the sides of it, and the model number was 013. It was one of the newer models of Shock Pistols, and Carmelita counted herself lucky for getting one so soon.</p><p>"Top of the shelf equipment here Bentley, precision engineered and built to handle the toughest conditions." That was when the Hazard Room shook for a moment, as two platforms dropped down. Deciding to jump on one of them, the platforms deployed a red energy field and four dummies were dropped on the platform opposite of her.</p><p>Raising an eyebrow at this, Bentley's voice crackled out from the intercom. <em>"Alright Carmelita, I know you're an expert sharpshooter, but it never hurts to keep your skills in check...Start with these targets and we'll work our way up." </em></p><p>Targeting the dummy on the far left, Carmelita fired three times, turning the dummy into a charred mess. The process was very much the same for the next three, with the last one falling into the red field below. It was shocked to a crisp, giving the Inspector incentive not to fall from the platform.</p><p>The platform cleared and more dummies were set up, but the situation had changed. A wall blocked her view of the dummies, but she knew a trick around that.</p><p>
  <em>"Alright Carmelita, I've done some reading on your newest Shock Pistol - It has the 'Arc Shot' Modification, correct?"</em>
</p><p>"Of course, I can arc shots over walls to hit perps, or to provide indirect fire if I'm pinned down." Pressing a button on the side, Carmelita aimed the pistol upwards and did a quick prediction of the shot. Pulling the trigger, her Shock Pistol hummed for a moment before firing. The electric discharge was a brilliant blue-white orb, right before it disappeared over the wall and wiped out the dummies on the other side. A blast shook the area, and the platforms swayed slightly before they came to a gentle rest.</p><p>Bentley's voice was a bit shaky, but otherwise calm as he began tapping away at his computer. <em>"Jiminy Cricket! I could feel that all the way in the control room! What are you hunting with that thing? Dinosaurs?" </em></p><p>Blowing away the smoke from her Shock Pistol, the Inspector holstered it before answering Bentley. "Mostly robots and some Muggshot level thugs, nothing too big."</p><p><em>"Riiiight...Anyways, time for mobility and learning the finer features of a binocucom." </em>The red energy field disappeared with a dull hum, and the Inspector dropped down before the two platforms disappeared into the ceiling. Four piles of boxes were dropped down to act as buildings, and Bentley's voice crackled out of the intercom once more before Carmelita pulled out the Binocucom.</p><p><em>"I know the last time you used one of these was a bit hectic, but first, check your left coat pocket - Outer, not inner." </em>Doing so, Carmelita found a pair of red-orange goggles with all sorts of techno-gadgetry attached to it.</p><p>"How-"</p><p><em>"Not important, but what is important is that you try it on - I think it's my best work yet." </em>Rolling her eyes, she slipped the goggles on to find a variety of features - All of which were listed in the top right of the goggles vision. <em>"I call it a 'Precision Visor', it has everything you need for this mission - Holographic imager, Two-Way Encrypted Communication, and a Zoom Feature for targeting at a distance!" </em></p><p>Carmelita was impressed, working on this must've taken quite a bit of time...Though how he knew she'd be the one using it was a bit suspect. "Alright Bentley, what do I do now?"</p><p><em>"Hang on, let me contact you through the mask's communications." </em>The intercom shut down and there was an alert named 'Bentley' appearing in the upper right of the visor. <em>"Alright, much better."</em> While the voice was slightly distorted by electric static, he was still clear enough to hear and to talk to. <em>"Can you hear me Carmelita?" </em></p><p>"Yes, reading you loud and clear." </p><p>Hearing Bentley typing on the other end, a chute behind the Inspector open up. Inside was a red binocucom with yellow trim, a fox shaped emblem printed on both sides. Taking it, she gave it a look through.</p><p>The binocucom was surprisingly advanced, having a live-video feed and what appeared to be two-way, live camera video calling. There was more, but at the moment she didn't know. </p><p>Giving it one more once over, Carmelita decided to finally ask Bentley the specs. "This looks pretty advanced for thieving equipment...What are the specs?" </p><p>There was a hint of pride in Bentley's voice, as he listed most of the Binocucom's features. <em>"Oh it's of my own design - It has everything! Camera, zoom function, holographic ping function, and two-way communication." </em>He would've gone on and on about the Bicocucom, were it not for Carmelita politely interrupting him with a question.</p><p>"Impressive tech, but how does it work?" </p><p><em>"Oh, uh one moment." </em>Taking a moment to type on his keyboard, Bentley answered shortly. <em>"There's a button on top marked 'R3', meant for pinging holographic markers when you're lost. Then there's 'R1', meant for taking pictures." </em>Pressing R3, an orange marker appeared about ten feet in front of her. <em>"Now, start looking for the holographic markers on the piles of boxes, and we'll start to look for Sly." </em></p><p>Pinging the nearest holographic marker, Carmelita leapt up to the first in a single bound. There were three more, and reaching them was child's play. Just leap from one area to the next, and the rest is history.</p><p>With everyone in Ship Shape, it was time to find Sly.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">
      <em>____________________________________</em>
    </span>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">
      <strong>____________________________________</strong>
    </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>With the Time Machine charged and ready, it was time for us to bring Sly home.</p><p>Jumping into the Cooper Van, we found ourselves hurtling through time and space. Once we arrived in Ancient Egypt, we were given a shock as the van crash landed into a large sand dune. Despite the rough landing and the few minutes of cleaning the engine out, we found ourselves between two not-so ancient rocks and a hard place. The wreckage of Le Paradox's blimp and a large, regal city sticking out of the desert dunes...But there was something wrong. Modern technology plagued the area, and the city looked more like a military base than an Egyptian City.</p><p>Something was wrong, this entire operation reeked of Penelope.</p><p>With no time to waste and a friend missing, we began to make a plan. No matter what stood in our way, we'd get Sly back or not at all...And that meant we wouldn't return to the modern age either...</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">
      <em>_____________________________________</em>
    </span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Bentley</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>And the Gang In...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Dangerous Dunes</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>
      <em>_____________________________________</em>
    </strong>
  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. DD - Sneak Like An Egyptian</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <strong>Dangerous Dunes - Sneak Like An Egyptian</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>__________________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>The Cooper Van had landed roughly outside of the nearby city, and near some wreckage that looked like it belonged on Le Paradox's blimp. The Van was parked in a small alcove, nestled between two sandstone walls. The 'hideout' (for lack of a better term) was a makeshift tent near the van, packed full of Bentley's computer equipment and what gear the Gang managed to take with them. Bentley was sitting off to the side, computer in hand, typing with unmatched speed and precision while Murray was...Comparing ornate robes. One was a shade of dark purple, the other was a simple lilac. Carmelita was off in her own corner, making sure her Shock Pistol was still active after the rough landing.</p><p>A few moments of boredom later, Bentley snapped his fingers and began to put together a Slideshow.</p><p>"Alright folks, sit down and listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once." The tent's light dimmed and the back of it was lit up with a rough map of the local area, a large desert city sitting beside the Nile River and near the wreckage of Le Paradox's blimp, which looked to have been dragged into a pile near the city.</p><p>The map switched over to a picture of the city. "Now, while I haven't found any signs of Sly or his Binocucom's signal, I have caught wind of unencrypted radio signals coming from within the city." The picture changed once more, showing off a purple merchant's garb and a bag full of jewels. "Problem is, none of them say who's in charge or what their plans are - Just clocking in and clocking out."</p><p>"And that's where 'The Murray' comes in." Flexing his arms, Murray was happy to start this operation.</p><p>"Yes that's true, Carmelita and I would stick out like sore thumbs - Even in disguises." Bentley changed the picture once more, showing off a disguised Murray preparing to head off into the city. "Murray's job is to scout of the city, taking photos and setting up hidden cameras - The more information the better." </p><p>Carmelita had a question about this plan, and interrupted the slideshow for some answers. "How will Murray get in though? It's not like the guards are just going to let him in."</p><p>"Au contraire, you see, that disguise of Murray's is a Merchant's Robe." Another picture, this time showing off a rough hierarchy of Egypt. Below the Pharaoh, the governmental figures, and soldiers - There were merchants. "I've seen a few merchants get in after paying them, and just our luck, we have some gems to bribe them to allow Murray inside the city." </p><p>That answered one question, but another remained. "Alright...But what's my job?"</p><p>There was another slide change, this time showing off guards running away from the Wreckage. "There have been some panicked radio calls from the Wreckage, and I have a hunch it's caused by Sly." This time the slide switched to a picture of Sly's Logo, this time posted above the wreckage. "Your goal is to search the wreckage and find any sign of Sly, hopefully we can find him and shut down this mess." </p><p>With their goals noted, it was time to get to work.</p><p>
  <em> <span class="u"> <strong>______________________________________</strong> </span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Sneak Like An Egyptian</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Murray</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>...</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>______________________________________</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>Murray felt like royalty wearing the merchant disguise, the silky smooth fabric and the fact that purple looked <em>amazing </em>on him...Well, it felt nice. But Murray wasn't here to feel nice, he was here to find information on this city. Putting on his best 'shady merchant' voice, the purple clad hippo stomped up to the decidedly not-so-Ancient Security Gate before being stopped by two Flashlight Guards.</p><p>They were large, tough looking German Shepherds wearing desert uniforms, a large, black Shock Rifle resting in their arms. Their rifles each had an under-barrel flashlight, which were currently turned off in the blazing hot daylight.</p><p>"Halt - What business do you have in the City of Pharaohs?" One of the guards asked rather roughly, probably tired of being in the sun all day.</p><p>That was when Murray decided to act much like a shady merchant. "Well 'ello to you too...Strangah," Murray deepened his voice and tried to put on an air of affableness, mostly to keep these two at ease. "I happen to have the finest gems and jewelry this side of the Nile River, perhaps one of you would like one...For free?" Taking out a bag of valuables, he opened it up for both guards to see.</p><p>The two guards had eyes the size of saucers upon seeing the loot, and decided to take 'The Merchant' up on his offer. Once the two guards were outfitted with bling, they allowed Murray inside the 'City Of Pharaohs'. </p><p>Suffice to say, that name was fitting.</p><p>Statues of all shapes and sizes were around the city, with banners depicting the current ruler - A dark brown raccoon clad in royal finery, which to Murray, kind of looked like his best buddy.</p><p>Man, he misses Sly...</p><p>But there was no time to slow down, now was the time for action! Or rather, now was the time for exploration and seeing which parts of the city needed cased by the disguised hippo. The city itself was a maze of sandstone bricks, but there were some particularly notable buildings. The first of which was a large temple, with black furred jackals standing guard. These jackals were wearing ceremonial clothing and wielding humble staves, they seemed agitated for some reason.</p><p>Snapping a quick picture, Murray heard Bentley's voice in his ear.</p><p><em>"An architectural beauty! This appears to be a Temple of Anubis, judging by additions to it." </em>The Temple was a large, square building with statues at each corner and entrance. The statues were of the temple's namesake, and gave off a sensation of both fear and tranquility.</p><p>"Yeah, looks pretty cool." Murray looked around before deciding to take a gamble. "I'm gonna ask them what's going on, the locals might know something we don't." </p><p>
  <em>"Wait Murray-"</em>
</p><p>But it was too late, as Murray approached the two jackals out front with as much respect as he could. "Greetings O Honorable Servants of Anubis," Taking a moment to bow his head, he began to ask his questions. "Forgive me for intruding, but what is happening here? Where is the wise and mighty pharaoh?" The two jackals looked at each other before their gazes softened, the two of them telling Murray the tale of what had happened in the City of Pharaohs.</p><p>"Our Pharaoh has passed on, his soul to be judged in the Afterlife." Well, that didn't sound ominous. "His son was to take the throne - But that red demon and her army usurped him, only we remain to protect the place of his final rest." That was concerning, though Bentley couldn't find any information on this 'red demon' or her army. But the information was definitely cause for concern, the previous pharaoh's son must still be around - And judging by the date, circa 1360 BC, Slytunkhamen should've...</p><p>Oh dear...</p><p>
  <em>"Alright Murray, that might be enough talking...Try getting some more pictures of the area, maybe set up some hidden cameras around places of interest."</em>
</p><p>Placing a hidden camera in front of the temple, Murray was kind of surprised at how simple it looked. It looked like a stone about the size of his fist, the only thing giving it away as a camera was the green antenna ever so slightly sticking out the top.</p><p>Moving on from the temple, Murray began to feel like something was wrong - Not that things didn't feel wrong already, but now it was sinking in.</p><p>There were no people.</p><p>No people, no animals, the only people he's seen so far were the Temple Guards and the strange, modern looking military folk patrolling the streets. Some German Shepherds acting as Flashlight Guards, Mau Cats and Desert Foxes patrolling the rooftops. All were clad in some sort of desert uniform, and were armed with all sorts of equipment - From stun batons to smoke bombs, their arsenal was rather impressive.</p><p>And another cause for Bentley's headaches.</p><p>As he walked through the city, he finally found something that didn't belong. In what used to be a humble building was now an armory, reinforced with steel plating and boarded up the windows. But there were hooks in the steel plates, along with pipes - But there was no Sly around to use them.</p><p>Snapping a quick picture of the Armory, Murray placed a camera out in front of the main door while Bentley's voice crackled over the comms.</p><p><em>"It's a shame what they did to that building, but I'm reading some strange signals coming from inside..." </em>Moving on from the Armory, Murray spied something in the distance, one of the watch towers along the walls.</p><p>It was a rather haphazard build, sitting atop the large, stone walls. It was a great place to overlook the surrounding areas, but there didn't appear to be anyway up...Until Murray looked around. There was a wooden platform with a rope ladder, and while the ladder was drawn up at the moment, it was still the easiest way to the top of the wall short of physically climbing the walls.</p><p>Snapping a picture of it, Murray continued his walk around the city. It was somewhat hard to keep track, even with the landmarks. But sooner or later, he found something else that caught his eye.</p><p>It was a dock, but it was patrolled much more heavily than the city or the armory. Two flashlight guards stood at attention as the smaller guards ferried supplies from a boat, for some odd reason. Snapping a picture, Murray hid another camera before quickly making for the city center. Hopefully there'd be something of interest there, and the Murray can leave this city.</p><p>"Jeez this heat is killing me, how much longer Bentley?"</p><p><em>"There's one more place to look at - The Royal Palace." </em>Following Bentley's marker, Murray finally made it to the Royal Palace and...Well, it's a bit hard to put into words.</p><p>It was a thief's playground, with ropes hanging banners and thin edges to sneak upon. It was the largest building in the city, made from polished white stone and being a marvel of architecture. Statues of various Egyptian Gods flanked the path into the Royal Palace, towering over Murray and everyone else. He snapped a picture of it and hid another camera, and just in time too - The doors to the palace opened up to reveal the one behind all this mess.</p><p>Quietly staying out of sight - Or as quiet as the Murray can be, he brought up his Binocucom.</p><p>The person was a scarlet furred fox, clad in heavy military clothing and a black beret. Despite being a head or so shorter than Murray, this mysterious fox seemed to command respect from the two guards that followed her. She was currently talking on the phone - And judging by her bitter expression, it wasn't a call she wanted to hear.</p><p><em>"Murray! Take a picture of her and see if you can listen in on her conversation." </em>Snapping the pic, Murray began walking towards the stranger and her guards, trying to give off the impression that he was lost and confused. It seemed to work, as the guards paid no mind to the purple clad hippo until he bumped into one of them, spilling his bag of gems and jewels.</p><p>"Ah! My apologies Strangahs! I'll grab my jewels and go!" With that said, Murray began to pick up his valuables while the fox carried on her conversation without missing a beat, allowing Murray to listen in without being suspected.</p><p>"...And I said to you <em>Baron, </em>my mercs can't work if you can't supply us." There was a pause as whoever this Baron was (most likely Penelope) answered. "Oh listen here you greedy rat, I got Cooper and his Cane in the Palace right now - You get me some supplies, and we'll even dig up more materials from that skunk's wreckage."</p><p>Once the phone call was over, Murray finished picking up his goods and immediately went back to the Safe House.</p><p>
  <strong>Mission Complete!</strong>
</p><p>Murray makes his way back to the Safe House in one piece, making it out of the city undiscovered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. DD - Search The Wreckage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <em>Dangerous Dunes - Search The Wreckage</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Carmelita</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>...</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong> <em>______________________________________________</em> </strong> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>The Wreckage was an apt name, being a sprawling pile of scrap metal and pieces of Le Paradox's Blimp. Most of the machinery was scavenged bare of any useful materials, valuable metals, functioning machinery, or whatever was valuable. Most of them had been piled in a rather organized mess, though how one would navigate such a mess was a mystery.</p><p>Bringing up her Binocucom, Carmelita was ready to bring back her ringtail. "Alright Bentley, I'm at the Wreckage, have you found any sign of Sly?"</p><p><em>"I'm afraid not, but I am getting scattered signals from the Wreckage." </em>Four different markers popped up at seemingly random points in the field of scrap and worthless salvage, all glowing orange. <em>"There have also been reports of a 'shadow monster' taking out guards in this area, so be careful." </em>Thanking Bentley for the information, she began to make her way to the nearest marker.</p><p>The piles of scrap created a winding path, almost as if she was walking in a giant serpent's trail. While subtlety wasn't her strong point (at least when chasing down criminals), the Inspector was able to avoid any Flashlight Guards or Rooftop Guards. Looking at them, it looked like they didn't want to be here - At all.</p><p>Their nerves were shot, with every noise setting them off like a hair-trigger.</p><p>But surprisingly, she managed to avoid most of them and make it to the first marker. The first marker's location was of a large chunk of Le Paradox's Blimp that was mostly intact, which provided shade, shelter, and more importantly - An S.O.S Signal that was playing on loop. It was an AI repeating the same signal over and over again, which Carmelita called Bentley about.</p><p>"Bentley, I'm at the first location, there doesn't seem to be anything other than an old S.O.S signal." </p><p>The turtle technopapth took a moment to decode the signal, but ultimately found nothing. <em>"Okay, at least that's one unknown scratched. Keep moving, there's still three more signals left." </em>Moving through the rest of the wreckage, the next Marker was located at the farthest edge of the Wreckage - Which lead out to the open desert, and had an impressive view of a golden sea, stretching on as far as the eye could see.</p><p>Shaking herself out of it, Carmelita came across a makeshift shelter. It was a makeshift little hut, made up of scrap metal and wood piled up to form a small, wedge shaped hut. There was a blue cloth hung over the entrance, and the Inspector quietly opened the cloth to find a rather modest abode. There were makeshift sacks piled up in the corner, a hammock in one corner, and...It couldn't be.</p><p>On the ground was a familiar blue binocucom, only this time the casing was shattered and Cooper's logo was split in half, the left half missing.</p><p>Picking it up, she pocketed it and hoped that wasn't a bad omen.</p><p>"Bentley, I found Sly's Binocucom...I just hope we find him in one piece." </p><p><em>"That's not good, but at least we found his Binocucom."  </em>The next Marker was over at the Center of the Wreckage, being a hop, skip and a megajump away from her location. Most of the guards didn't notice Carmelita as she jumped from one scrap pile to another, with the guards that did notice her earning a hail of shock volleys directed towards them.</p><p>Carmelita was nearing the third Marker, which sat at the top of the largest heap of scrap in the Wreckage.</p><p>It was a pile of various barrels, metal beams, and the metal hulls of room-sized computers. There was a dull green light coming out of one of the computers, marked with a certain mouse's emblem. Bringing up her binocucom, the Inspector took a quick picture of it before Bentley buzzed in. He was glum-faced, but there was a spark in his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>"Murray overheard someone saying a Cooper is in the Royal Palace, and- Hang on, is that one of Penelope's computers?"</em>
</p><p>"Yeah, why? Do you want me to-" Before Carmelita could finish her sentence, Bentley cut her off.</p><p><em>"No! Don't get near it!" </em>After he'd taken a breath, the turtle began saying <em>why </em>she shouldn't get near it. <em>"Penelope was paranoid about people getting their hands on her stuff, she'd rig it to blow if anyone got near it." </em></p><p>"Of course she would..." With that little point of interest marked, the Fox jumped her way to the final marker. Farthest point away from the City, and within an isolated spot of the Wreckage. But there was something going on in this corner, Guards were on high alert and twitchier than Carmelita's trigger finger. Many of them were gathered around a small cave, many of them armed to the teeth. There looked to be a dozen of them, a few Flashlight Guards supporting the smaller, more agile guards.</p><p>Taking out her Binocucom, Carmelita gave Bentley a live view of the situation. <em>"I haven't seen this many guards since Sly broke out of the Contessa's prison..." </em>The Inspector felt a chill go up her spine at the mere mention of that Witch, but kept her cool and scanned the surrounding area.</p><p>"Is there anything here besides a dusty cave and some guards?" The signal was coming from inside the cave, but there wasn't an easy way in. </p><p>At least, not to an Inspector's eyes.</p><p>Bentley however, had a different point of view. <em>"Well, there might be a way to clear out those guards..." </em>It took him a few moments, but he had a rough idea worked out. <em>"Okay, there should be a scrapped steel plate to your left." </em>Turning, there was a steel plate - Probably from the blimp. </p><p>"Yeah, what about it?"</p><p><em>"Well think about it, these guards are nervous - Would they be doing this if they weren't afraid of whoever's in that cave?" </em>Carmelita realized what Bentley was trying to get at, create enough noise and the guards might leave. <em>"Knock that down and it might break the guards' nerve." </em>Giving the steel plate a rough kick, it toppled down and kicked up enough sand to effectively blind the guards - And give Carmelita an opening.</p><p>While the guards were panicking in the mini-dust storm, the Inspector slipped through into the cave's entrance. </p><p>It was a dark, dry cave with little light save for the few rays of sunlight peaking in. It was bad enough that Carmelita risked turning on a Flashlight to get some actual vision within the cave, looking around until a figure dropped behind her with a near silent thud. Keyword being <em>near</em>, as the Inspectors honed instincts as an officer of the law took over and she snapped her sights at whoever it was. For a second, she nearly dropped her Shock Pistol when she saw who it was - A familiar face, but there were too many differences.</p><p>His fur was a sandy brown, he stood a few inches taller than Sly - And Carmelita was sure it hadn't been long enough for her criminal to start dressing like Ancient Egyptian Royalty. There was also the way her carried himself, Sly was almost always carried himself with a playful air, and this man had an air of royalty. </p><p>"You...You're not the thief that took over my father's city." </p><p>That took her by surprise, but she shook it off before asking the questions she wanted. "I'm not, and I'm looking for...A friend of mine, raccoon, blue getup, gold cane? Ring any bells?" The raccoon stroked his chin before a scream from a guard interrupted their little stand-off, with the stranger speaking up with the first good idea that wasn't said by Bentley.</p><p>"Perhaps we can talk somewhere <em>without </em>guards howling at us like jackals?" Deciding to cut this mission short, Carmelita and this Egyptian Raccoon ran off during the confusion.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">
      <em>_______________________________________</em>
    </span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Job Complete!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>
      <em>________________________________________</em>
    </strong>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>When Carmelita came back with Slytunkhamen II in tow, I knew there was bad news. Not only was Sly in the palace, but Slytunkhamen III was in custody as well. The young Pharaoh was in the middle of mourning his father's passing when Sly appeared, and the two got to know each other rather well. Well enough in fact that Slytunkhamen was willing to risk his life to rescue him, and was in the midst of planning a break in when we arrived. So far, he'd been limited to terrorizing the guards that walked out into the Wreckage, but with us around, we might have a shot at breaking into that city.</p><p>And speaking of that City, after a bit of digging I found out who was in charge - Infamous Treasure Hunter and Mercenary Lara Knightly.</p><p>Born into Britain's rich elite, Miss Knightly was born with a silver spoon in hand and had a live of luxury. That life ended when her father's plane went down over the Isle of Wrath, and her father's so called 'friends' swooped in and left her family with nothing. With nothing but grit and fury, she robbed them of their ill-gotten gains and found she had a knack for stealing treasure.</p><p>This 'knack' turned into an obsession, and soon she established herself as both an International Treasure Hunter and Mercenary for Hire. Lara specializes in 'recovering' artifacts, often stealing them from historical museums and old temples - Which inevitably end up destroyed by her efforts.</p><p>She's rich enough to fund her own Mercenary Company, known to the public as Knightly Recovery Services. This company is responsible for the loss of several major historical sites across the globe, and it appears they've set their sights on Ancient Egypt.</p><p>We don't know why they're here, but we know one thing for sure...</p><p>They've unknowingly picked a fight with the wrong gang - And Inspector. They've captured Sly, taken over this city and terrorized its inhabitants - That's not something we're going to let them get away with, not as long as we call ourselves the Cooper Gang.</p>
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